Keep reading here!

How much $$$? Given the currently weak US dollar, I’d say plan on $65-70 day minimum. Keep an eye on the exchange rate. When the dollar is stronger, you can sqeak by on $50 a day. You’ll never regret having too much $$$, imho. On a 2 month trip, you won’t be working under the table.

Where to go? Depends on your interests. Depends on the time of year. Keep reading here, start watching the Travel Channel, and give Rick Steves’ "Travels on Europe" on PBS a look.

Alone is fine. You’ll meet lots of new folks.

For an itinerary, first figure out where you’re going to land. There are lots of proposed itineraries floating around on this site. Keep reading. REad about others’ trips; that may give you some insight as well.

I know it may not be the most responsible thing to do, but I would suggest planning to go in 2005!!! As long as you have enough money to put yourself in a hostel, and can learn to be inventive with a loaf of bread, you’ll be fine. In 2002, my bestfriend and I did just that for three weeks, going through the UK, France, and a side trip to Amsterdam! I can’t say that we lived like Kings, but the experience is one of a kind. I met so many people, and had such a wonderful time!
In regards to your ideas about ‘must see’ destinations, I guess the best advice to you is to figure out what YOU want from the trip…if your a history buff, your decisions will take you to some places, if partying is your thing, you may end up with a totally different itinerary. I guess that about all I can suggest for now…I wouldn’t worry about travelling alone, I’ve found that meeting people is so much easier than I could have imagined…..good luck with all your decision making….

Get yourself a travel guide book, I like Lonely Planet Europe. It’ll be your bible while you’re on the road. I like to read the travel guides before I go anywhere as my first line of information, then, in order to get a better idea about specific places that look interesting, I ask around, like here, or people I know who’ve visited it. Rick Steves is good and also Globe Trekker, also on PBS.

quote:
Get yourself a travel guide book, I like Lonely Planet Europe. It’ll be your bible while you’re on the road.

I went on amazon.com and found a Loney Planet Western Europe guide and I was thinking of buying it, but I heard there’s a newer edition coming out 2005 – not sure, but I think I’ll hold out until then.

There’s just SO many places I want to see and I don’t know where to start with my itenirary lol. But as someone suggested, I’ll figure out which interests me the most [history, partying, etc.] and go from there.

Plus, I’m really skeptical about traveling alone being a female. I think I’m better off trying to find someone backpacking this upcoming summer or the next, I might fair better with a companion.

Hey, unless anyone here disagrees, I think Let’s Go is a good travel guide, especially for budget traveling. That’s my main source of info for planning my trip.
Im going on a two month Europe trip this summer starting late May (yay! just bought tickets!!). I am a 22 yr old female going alone, and I have read a lot of stuff saying as long as youre careful and dont run around all drunk and stupid, you should be fine. hehe..
Im not worried, women are perfectly capable… just learn how to say "It burns when I pee" in foreign languages..HEHE!..ward off potential creeps.
Anyway, Im starting in Paris and going down through S. France, Italy, Vienna, Prague, Munich, through Switzerland, then down through Spain and Paris again. ( To give you an idea of what others are doing. )
If you decide to go and want to meet up anywhere, I would love to have a girl around at some point for travel company!
Hope this helps
Tiff

if you’re going to be in italy at the end of june let me know maybe we can cut costs somwhere, i’ll be in venice and then heading to rome.
i’m a female looking for a travel buddy for a couple of weeks in the summer. i’ll be living in switzerland by that time.
take care,
erin
colwell_e@hotmail.com

Ok so I sketched out a really rough idea of my itenirary. (I plan to spend a great deal of time in Italy). Once I get a guidebook I’m sure I’ll change it up a little, but this is just an idea I have. Any suggestions as to what cities or countries I should cut out or add?I cant’ afford to spend too much, and I’ll be traveling for at least a month, no longer than 2:

Italy: Rome, Siena (day trip to San Gimignano?), Florence, Pisa, Venice, Naples, Cinque Terre [don’t know if its a city or town, but a lot of people seem to like it], various towns/cities of Sicily

Austria: Tyrol, Vienna

Switz: Luzern, Lauterbrunnken

France: Paris, 1 or 2 small towns I’ll pass through

Spain Portugal: Lisbon, Barcelona, Alhambra in Granada, Cordoba

If I were you, I would miss Eastern Europe.
Bulgaria and Romania.
Reason: Its like going back in time to when you parents were growing up. I loved these places and the people are wonderful. Full of spirit. It also cheap.

Rome is wonderful (Buy a book or read up on it before you go. It’ll make it more interesting)

Southern France: Nice and monaco
Reason : Very touristy places, Weather is beautiful and beaches. Day trip to monaco is a must.

The greek islands :
Reason: This is paradise. Sun, Beaches, Young people travelling. Ships. Nightlife. Everything you want from a holiday in the sun.

Also Spain. I went to Barcelona but If I were you I would try fit some place in on the west cost.

I cann’t say much about the rest of Europe but the countries that are coastal have more appeal, at least for me.

Ireland is also a great place. You will have a great time in Ireland no matter where you go. South west and west is most popular and also Dublin is place to go and get sloshed.

One peace of advice on what to bring. Have a backpack for all your clothes and everything and have a little bag for travelling around at day time. Just put you wallet, camera, …

Enjoy

As far as getting a Guide Book you might want to go to your local library and rent a few different ones. I did this and it not only helped me choose the one that best fit my travel style it also helped me to plan a rough itenerary!

As far as an itenerary, we spent the alot of time in Italy and throughly enjoyed .. Rome is absolutely amazing and I would agree that you should read up on it before you go! I wasn’t that impressed with Florence (Go if you are really into Museums though) and Pisa can be done in an afternoon!

We also really enjoyed Prague … it’s different from alot of the other major cities and it’s super cheap so you can eat and drink for next to nothing!

Also just remember to be prepared to be flexible, I didn’t believe this when I was told it but our plan changed so many times while we were there!!

Thank you!!

I trying to create a loose itenirary since so many people have warned that plans change so its important to be flexible. As far as Italy is concerned, I’m targeting major cities. I don’t know too much about switz, france, austria, portugal and spain though – so I’ll be reading up on them to get an idea as to what places I should visit.

Its all so confusing though lol I’m probably the most unorganized person there is so trying to map out where to go, budgeting, etc is waay beyond me – but i’ll manage somehow. Money is an issue though, as I’m not sure whats the least I should have if I plan to backpack 2 months and stay in the cheapest of cheap hostels.

Go to www.hostels.com, you can search and book hostels all over the world in advance, there are also ratings of hostels. i often use this site and have had no problems so far with my bookings. this will help u with cost.

I would go next year if I were you (you never know, you could have meteorite drop on your head b4 2006). As for $, keep doing research..Switzerland & Austria are more expensive than Spain and Portugal or Czech Republic and Hungary & other countries around there.
I’m a female and perfer traveling solo but there are some cost advantages traveling in pairs.
Over all, keep researching to get what you want, and want to know ahead of time (the more the better), and GO. If you have to go into some debt on the visa it’ll be worth it, don’t let the dollers deter you from your adventure.
Life’s too short
oh yeah, don’t forget to check out sites like Globalfreeloaders.com and couchsurfing.com and the most appropriate travel tickets ahead of time (Easyjet has dirt cheap flights going up NOW 4 nxt summer) and a rail pass can be a blessing if you get the right one.